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Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich smashed the women’s marathon world record in Chicago, setting a historic time to break the 2:10:00 barrier while taking almost two minutes off the previous best.
Chepngetich clocked an astonishing time of 2:09:56 to crush the previous record, set by Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa in Berlin last September.
An emotional Chepngetich dedicated her world record to the late Kelvin Kiptum, who broke the men’s marathon world record in Chicago 12 months ago.
Kiptum was just 24 years old when he was killed in a road accident in Kenya earlier this year.
“This world record I’m dedicating to Kelvin Kiptum,” Chepngetich said moments after crossing the finish line. “I’m so happy. I don’t know how to explain.”
Chepngetich, who won the Chicago Marathon for the third time after previous victories in 2021 and 2022, was stunned after crossing the finish line.
“I feel so great,” she said. “The world record is my dream, that has now come true. I fought a lot thinking about the world record and now I’ve fulfilled it. I’m so grateful.
“This year the weather was perfect and I prepared well. The world record was on my mind.”
Chepngetich finished more than seven minutes ahead of the runner-up, Ethiopia’s Sutume Kebede, while Kenya’s Irine Cheptai was third with a time of 2:17:51.
The 2:10:00 barrier was long considered unbreakable for a woman, and was compared to the 2:00:00 mark for elite men’s marathon runners.
Chepngetich, the 2019 world champion, had previously ranked fourth on the all-time list but chalked almost five minutes off her personal best – set in Chicago two years ago.
Her victory completed a Kenyan double in the Windy City, as John Korir won the men’s race. Korir’s victory in 2:02:43 was the second fastest in Chicago history, after Kiptum’s record.
